The statement "In which country is only night?" is not literally true, but the country most closely associated with prolonged periods of darkness is Norway, especially in its northern regions.
Understanding Polar Night
The phenomenon referred to is called "polar night." This occurs in regions within the Arctic and Antarctic circles where the sun remains below the horizon for more than 24 hours. It's crucial to understand that "only night" is an exaggeration. While the sun doesn't rise, there can still be twilight or a dim period during the day.
Norway's Polar Night
- Location: Northern Norway, including areas like Tromsø and Svalbard, experiences polar night.
- Duration: The length of the polar night varies depending on the latitude. The closer you are to the North Pole, the longer the period of darkness. Svalbard experiences around 50 days of continuous night.
- Why it Happens: The Earth's axial tilt of approximately 23.5 degrees is the primary reason for polar night. During winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the North Pole is tilted away from the sun.
Other Countries Experiencing Polar Night
While Norway is often associated with polar night, other countries also experience it in their northernmost regions:
- Russia: Significant portions of northern Russia, particularly above the Arctic Circle, experience polar night.
- Canada: The northern territories of Canada, such as Nunavut, also experience polar night.
- United States (Alaska): The northernmost parts of Alaska, like Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), have polar night.
- Greenland (Denmark): As a constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland experiences polar night.
- Sweden: The northernmost region of Sweden experiences the polar night.
- Finland: The northernmost region of Finland also experiences the polar night.
Conclusion
Therefore, while no country experiences only night year-round, Norway (particularly its northern regions) and other countries within the Arctic Circle experience prolonged periods of darkness known as polar night.
